joewein.net   joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
Try our spam filter!
Free trial for 30 days
  jwSpamSpy

Home
About Us
Spam
419/Nigeria
Fraud
Contact

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: Paul Smith <paulsmith600013@yahoo.pt>
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:29:03 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Dear Friend


Dear Friend,

First,I must solicit your confidence in this transaction;this by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. Though I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make any one apprehensive  and worried,but I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of  the day.We have decided to contact you due to the urgency of this transaction,as we have been reliably informed of your discreetness and ability in transaction of this nature.

Let me start by introducing myself properly to you. I am Mr.Paul Smith an Accountant with a bank here in Africa.I came to know you in my private search for a reliable and reputable person to handle this confidential transaction,which involves the transfer of huge  sum of money into a foreign account requiring maximum confidence and  co-operation.

THE POSITION OF THE FUND:

A foreigner,Late John Williams who was a contractor here in Africa  until his death in Kenya Air Bus (A310 - 300) Flight KQ430,Banked with us ,and has  a closing balance as at the end of Sept.2011 worth US$16.5M (sixteen  million five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars), the bank now  expects a next of kin as a beneficiary.

Valuable efforts are being made by  the  Bank to get in touch with any of the  deceased's family or relatives but to no avail.It is because of the perceived impossibility of not being able to locate  any of his relatives (He had no wife or children that is known to  us),the management under the influence of our chairman and members of the  board of directors,have made all arrangements to declare the  fund(Unclaimed)and subsequently be donated to the trust fund for arms and  ammunition to further enhance the course of war in Africa.

In order to avert this negative development,some of my trusted colleagues and I now seek your permission to you stand as next of kin to the  dead man so that the fund US$16.5 million will be released and paid into  your account as the beneficiary's next of kin.All documents and proofs  to enable you get this fund will be carefully worked out.We have been ordered to locate any of the deceased's beneficiary and more  so we are assuring you the  the transaction is 100% risk free. Your  share of the total sum of the fund is 40%, while the rest will be for  myself and my colleagues for investment purpose,according to agreement  within both parties.


As soon as we receive an acknowledgement of receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business proposal, we would furnish you with the necessary modalities and disbursement ratio to suite both parties.

If  this proposal is acceptable by you,indicate by sending the following
information to me.

1] your full name.
2 ]your house address
3] your telephone number
4] your fax number.
5}Age
6}occupation

Have my best regards and God bless you.

Mr.Paul Smith.


Anti-fraud resources: